Panoptic visualization document access control

Abstract

A panoptic visualization system includes an enforcer and a layout engine coupled thereto. The enforcer is configured to identify a restricted document component of a panoptic visualization document collection having a plurality of document components each of which includes respective media content and has associated metadata providing information about the respective document component. The associated metadata for the document components may further include information identifying links between the respective document components. The layout engine is configured to generate a layout of panoptically-arranged visual representations of the document components according to the document components and associated metadata. For the restricted document component, the layout engine is configured to generate the layout according to the associated metadata for the restricted document component, but the generated layout includes a visual representation of the restriction in place of the restricted document component. And the layout engine is configured to communicate the layout.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 identifying a restricted page of a panoptic visualization document collection having a plurality of pages disassembled from one or more electronic documents, each page including respective media content and having associated metadata providing structured information about the page, the associated metadata for the pages further including structured information identifying links between the pages that establish one or more logical relationships between the respective media content thereof, the one or more logical relationships excluding pagination order sequence and chapterization of the pages; 
 generating a layout of panoptically-arranged visual representations of the pages including the restricted page according to the pages and associated metadata, 
 wherein the layout is a two-dimensional layout in which the one or more logical relationships between the respective media content of the pages including the restricted page are expressed by a difference in size or depth of at least some of the visual representations relative to others of the visual representations, and 
 wherein in the layout, the visual representations of the pages other than the restricted page are images of the respective pages including the media content thereof, and the visual representation of the restricted page is a visual representation of the restriction in place of an image of the restricted page that includes the media content thereof. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  further comprising retrieving the pages including the restricted page before generation of the layout,
 wherein generating the layout includes generating the layout including the image of the restricted page that includes the media content thereof, and including the visual representation of the restriction overlaying the image of the restricted page. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 granting access to the restricted page, and in response thereto, automatically removing the visual representation of the restriction from the layout and thereby revealing the image of the restricted page. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the layout includes generating the layout replacing the image of the restricted page in the layout with the visual representation of the restriction. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4  further comprising:
 granting access to the restricted page in the layout, and in response thereto, automatically replacing the visual representation of the restriction in the layout with the image of the restricted page including the media content thereof. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  further comprising interpreting the metadata for at least one of the pages to select a layout model from a plurality of two-dimensional layout models for panoptically-arranged visual representations of the pages, and that are displayable independent of one another,
 wherein generating the layout includes generating the layout further based on the selected layout model and independent of other layout models of the plurality of two-dimensional layout models. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the structured information provided by the associated metadata for each page provides information specifying one or more of a size, location or depth of the visual representation of the page in the layout, and
 wherein for the visual representations of the pages including the restricted page, the layout is generated according to the one or more of the size, location or depth specified by the structured information provided in the associated metadata. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7  further comprising retrieving the pages before generation of the layout,
 wherein for each page of at least some of the pages of the layout, a plurality of copies of the image of the page are stored at respective resolutions, the structured information provided by the associated metadata specifies at least the size of the image of the page in the layout, and a copy of the plurality of copies that is at a resolution that matches the size specified by the structured information is retrieved. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pages relate to aircraft and depict at least subsystems and parts of which the aircraft is composed, and
 wherein in the layout, the one or more logical relationships between the respective content of the pages reflect one or more structural relationships between the subsystems and parts of the aircraft depicted thereby. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 selecting one or more navigation options according to the associated metadata of the pages in the layout, and communicating the one or more navigation options to a graphical user interface for presentation to a user along with the layout, the one or more navigation options thereby being selectable by the user to request an adjustment of the layout. 
 
     
     
       11. A computer-readable storage medium that is non-transitory and has computer-readable program code portions stored therein that, in response to execution by a processor, cause an apparatus to at least:
 identify a restricted page of a panoptic visualization document collection having a plurality of pages disassembled from one or more electronic documents, each page including respective media content and having associated metadata providing structured information about the page, the associated metadata for the pages further including information identifying links between the pages that establish one or more logical relationships between the respective media content thereof, the one or more logical relationships excluding pagination order sequence and chapterization of the pages; 
 generate a layout of panoptically-arranged visual representations of the pages including the restricted page according to the pages and associated metadata, 
 wherein the layout is a two-dimensional layout in which the one or more logical relationships between the respective media content of the pages including the restricted page are expressed by a difference in size or depth of at least some of the visual representations relative to others of the visual representations, and 
 wherein in the layout, the visual representations of the pages other than the restricted page are images of the respective pages including the media content thereof, and the visual representation of the restricted page is a visual representation of the restriction in place of an image of the restricted page that includes the media content thereof. 
 
     
     
       12. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the computer-readable storage medium has further computer-readable program code portions stored therein that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the apparatus to further:
 retrieve the pages including the restricted page before generation of the layout, 
 wherein the apparatus being caused to generate the layout includes being caused to generate the layout including the image of the restricted page includes the media content thereof, and including the visual representation of the restriction overlaying the image of the restricted page. 
 
     
     
       13. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein the computer-readable storage medium has further computer-readable program code portions stored therein that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the apparatus to further:
 grant access to the restricted page, and in response thereto, automatically remove the visual representation of the restriction from the layout and thereby reveal the image of the page. 
 
     
     
       14. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus being caused to generate the layout includes being caused to generate the layout replacing the image of the restricted page in the layout with the visual representation of the restriction. 
     
     
       15. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the computer-readable storage medium has further computer-readable program code portions stored therein that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the apparatus to further:
 grant access to the restricted page, and in response thereto, automatically replace the visual representation of the restriction in the layout with the image of the restricted page including the media content thereof. 
 
     
     
       16. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the computer-readable storage medium has further computer-readable program code portions stored therein that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the apparatus to further:
 interpret the metadata for at least one of the pages to select a layout model from a plurality of layout models for panoptically-arranged visual representations of the pages, and that are displayable independent of one another, and 
 wherein the apparatus being caused to generate the layout includes being caused to generate the layout further based on the selected layout model and independent of other layout models of the plurality of two-dimensional layout models. 
 
     
     
       17. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the structured information provided by the associated metadata for each page provides information specifying one or more of a size, location or depth of the visual representation of the page in the layout, and
 wherein for the visual representations of the pages including the restricted page, the apparatus is configured to generate the layout according to the one or more of the size, location or depth specified by the structured information provided in the associated metadata. 
 
     
     
       18. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the computer-readable storage medium has further computer-readable program code portions stored therein that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the apparatus to further:
 retrieve the pages before generation of the layout, 
 wherein for each of at least some of the pages of the layout, a plurality of copies of the image of the pages are stored at respective resolutions, the structured information provided by the associated metadata specifies at least the size of the image of the page in the layout, and the apparatus is caused to retrieve a copy of the plurality of copies that is at a resolution that matches the size specified by the structured information. 
 
     
     
       19. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the pages relate to aircraft and depict at least subsystems and parts of which the aircraft is composed, and
 wherein in the layout, the one or more logical relationships between the respective content of the pages reflect one or more structural relationships between the subsystems and parts of the aircraft depicted thereby. 
 
     
     
       20. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the computer-readable storage medium has further computer-readable program code portions stored therein that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the apparatus to further:
 select one or more navigation options according to the associated metadata of the pages in the layout, and communicate the one or more navigation options to a graphical user interface for presentation to a user along with the layout, the one or more navigation options thereby being selectable by the user to request an adjustment of the layout. 
 
     
     
       21. An apparatus for implementation of a panoptic visualization system, the apparatus comprising a processor and a memory storing executable instructions that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:
 identify a restricted page of a panoptic visualization document collection having a plurality of pages disassembled from one or more electronic documents, each page including respective media content and having associated meta data providing structured information about the page, the associated metadata for the pages further including structured information identifying links between the pages that establish one or more logical relationships between the respective media content thereof, the one or more logical relationships excluding pagination order sequence and chapterization of the pages; and 
 generate a layout of panoptically-arranged visual representations of the pages including the restricted page according to the pages and associated metadata, 
 wherein the layout is a two-dimensional layout in which the one or more logical relationships between the respective media content of the pages including the restricted page are expressed by a difference in size or depth of at least some of the visual representations relative to others of the visual representations, and 
 wherein in the layout, the visual representations of the pages other than the restricted page are images of the respective pages including the media content thereof, and the visual representation of the restricted page is a visual representation of the restriction in place of an image of the restricted page that includes the media content thereof. 
 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the memory stores further executable instructions that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the apparatus to further retrieve the pages including the restricted page before generation of the layout, and
 wherein the apparatus caused to generate the layout includes the apparatus caused to generate the layout including the image of the restricted page that includes the media content thereof, and including the visual representation of the restriction overlaying the image of the restricted page. 
 
     
     
       23. The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the memory stores further executable instructions that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the apparatus to further:
 grant access to the restricted page, and in response thereto, automatically remove the visual representation of the restriction from the layout and thereby reveal the image of the restricted page. 
 
     
     
       24. The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the apparatus caused to generate the layout includes the apparatus caused to generate the layout replacing the image of the restricted page in the layout with the visual representation of the restriction. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the memory stores further executable instructions that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the apparatus to further:
 grant access to the restricted page, and in response thereto, automatically replace the visual representation of the restriction in the layout with the image of the restricted page including the media content thereof. 
 
     
     
       26. The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the memory stores further executable instructions that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the apparatus to further interpret the metadata for at least one of the pages to select a layout model from a plurality of two-dimensional layout models for panoptically-arranged visual representations of the pages, and that are displayable independent of one another, and
 wherein the apparatus caused to generate the layout includes the apparatus caused to generate the layout further based on the selected layout model and independent of other layout models of the plurality of two-dimensional layout models. 
 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the structured information provided by the associated metadata for each page provides information specifying one or more of a size, location or depth of the visual representation of the page in the layout, and
 wherein for the visual representations of the pages including the restricted page, the apparatus is caused to generate the layout according to the one or more of the size, location or depth specified by the structured information provided in the associated metadata. 
 
     
     
       28. The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the memory stores further executable instructions that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the apparatus to further retrieve the pages before generation of the layout,
 wherein for each page of at least some of the pages of the layout, a plurality of copies of the image of the page are stored at respective resolutions, the structured information provided by the associated metadata specifies at least the size of the image of the page in the layout, and the apparatus is caused to retrieve a copy of the plurality of copies that is at a resolution that matches the size specified by the structured information. 
 
     
     
       29. The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the pages relate to aircraft and depict at least subsystems and parts of which the aircraft is composed, and
 wherein in the layout, the one or more logical relationships between the respective content of the pages reflect one or more structural relationships between the subsystems and parts of the aircraft depicted thereby. 
 
     
     
       30. The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the memory stores further executable instructions that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the apparatus to further implement:
 a document navigation system configured to select one or more navigation options according to the associated metadata of the pages in the layout, and communicate the one or more navigation options to a graphical user interface for presentation to a user along with the layout, the one or more navigation options thereby being selectable by the user to request an adjustment of the layout.